Pneumatic vehicle suspension



PNEUMATIC VEHICLE SUSPENSION Filed May 29, 1944 i i Z726 /5 /4 ze? JZPatented May 17, 1949 TETE STTES PATENT i051:

lPNEUMATI'C VEHICLE jS'U'SPEIISION rEau-la. fnldbus, Gansevnort, :N. Y.

Application May"29, 1944,Sera'l`No.153Z;7 92

adj ustment .of the cushioning effect lfby `frnereily .increasing .or.decreasing y:the 'fluid pressure Ain `the cushioningelement.

3A :turthereobject-of -this invention is ftofprovide sa suspension.means y-of -this =`ltin'd Vwhich embodies the use :of inner .and outerfrubber casings fand ran improved-means forsecuring the casings to thevehicle.

A further object of Athis invention is to provide a suspension means ofthis kind wherein the #pneumatic members lmaybe `coupled together in:pairs rso ithat a single Amila-ting valve may be used, Yari-'il 7:thepressures-'of 4the members 'of each pair will be equalized.

With the foregoing objects and others which may hereinafter appear, theinvention consists Figure 3 is a fragmentary Vertical section of amodied form of suspension device.

Referring to the drawing, the numerals I0 and II designate a pair ofpneumatic suspension devices which are adapted to be connected betweenan axle land the frame or chassis of a Vehicle. The suspension devices Iand II are of like construction and the detailed description of `one ofthese devices will apply equally as well to the other device.

The suspension device I0 includes an outer flexible or rubber casing I2which is vformed with a pair of inner annular beads I3 and I4. The beadI3 is reinforced by reinforcing wires I5 Iand the bead I4 is reinforcedby embedded Wires I-B.

upper 'mounting plate 'II "of circular leoniiguration engages vvthe'upper 'bead I3 and `is provided with an V'outer "marginal lflange f8ternir- `natirig at its lower `end vin 'an v4annular itlisiheil flangeI3. The 'plate I'I 'has secured 'to the upw per 4side 'thereof acircular Yplate `'Z0 which is'provided vuentrally thereof with a tubularmember 21|. lThe tubular member -2I is 'adapted tn `lbe secured in anysuitable mann-er to 'the'lower -S'id'e Ao'f thefframe'or chassisoffthevehicle.

"clamping 'plate l22 engages the inner yside idf the bead llf3 lbeing'or downwardly `lilared configuration and having formed Aintegral`therewith -a g'flat plate 23 lvifhich is secured by fastening members"24 "tot'lre 'plate 20. Thefastening members 24 engagethroughtlre plateI1 'so 'as `tonrmly Asecure "the .upper "beau r3 to ythe supporting orattaching member '2 I.

A lower 4"circular plate 25 .engages *the'lowerside of the r'beati 'Itand 'has *formed with the 'outer margin thereof a flange "216terminatingin a iconcavo-convex flange 2l. An yattati'hin'g plate 28'engages the -lower iside Aof "the plate -25 `and has formed integraltherewith a depending attaching element 29. The attaching element 29 isadapted to be clamped or otherwise rmly secured to the axle or axlehousing of the vehicle. An inner clamping 'plate 30 of flaredconstruction is formed integral with :an annular plate 3| and bearsagainst the inner side of the bead I4. The plate 3I is secured to thepla-te 28 by fastening members 32 and tightening of the fasteningmembers 32 will also tightly hold the plate 25 to the lower assembly.

An inner tube 33 is disposed within the casing I0 and has securedthereto a valve stem 34. The valve stem 34 extends upwardly into thetubular mounting member 2| and the latter is formed with an opening 35through which the valve stem 34 is extended so that the inner tube 33may be filled with air under desir-ed pressure. A reinforcing disc 36 isinterposed between the inner tube 33 and the upper plate 23, beingpositioned about the valve stem 34. The stem 34 is provided with a cap31 and it willbe understood that a conventional check valve yor valveinsert may be mounted in the outer portion of the stem 34.

In order to provide a means whereby the suspension member I I may belled with air at the same time that the suspension member I0 is filledwith air, I have provided a connecting pipe or tube 38 which connectsvalve stem 34 with a valve stem 39 connected to the inner tube ofsuspension member I I.

Referring now to Figure 3, there is disclosed a modified form of thisinvention wherein a pair of pneumatic casings 40 and 4I are disposed insuperposed relation and are connected together at their confrontingsides. It will be understood that the casings 40 and 4l will havemounted therein inner tubes similar to inner tube 33 so as to providethe desired pressure within the casings 40 and 4I.

A pair of plates 42 and 43 are disposed between the two casings 40 and4I and are provided at their outer margins with beads 44 and 45. Aclamping plate 46 having a ared outer margin 41 is disposed on the upperside of plate 42 and a clamping plate -48 is disposed on the lower sideof plate 43 and is formed with a flared margin 48. The plates 42, 43, 46and 48 are iirmly secured together by means of fastening members 5U.

In the use of this pneumatic suspension means, the suspension membersare interposed between the axle or axle housing and the frame or chassisof the vehicle being secured thereto by the attaching members 2| and 29.The casings I9 and II are placed under the desired pressure byconnecting valve stem 34 with a suitable air pres sure supply. As airunder pressure is discharged into Valve stem 34, the air will also bedischarged .into casing I I.

The pneumatic casings I0 and I I will flex in the usual manner underpressures exerted thereon as the vehicle moves over the road and as therubber casings l0 and I I are not subject to wear on their outerportions, these casings may be made quite thin, the thickness of thecasings being determined by the Weight of the vehicle body supportedthereby. This suspension means will circular member including an outercasing, an inner casing, upper and lower attaching means for securingsaid outer casing to said vehicle, said attaching means including atubular central support, an annular flange on the end of said support,an outer clamping plate abutting the ange of said support, an annularbead on the peripheral edges of said outer casing, an inner clampingplate adjacent said outer clamping plate, peripheral flanges on saidclamping plates for clamping the bead of said outer casing therebetween,means securing said clamping plates to the flange of said support, and areinforcing disc between said inner casing and said inner clampingplate.

2. A vehicle suspension as set forth in claim 1, wherein said flange ofsaid outer clamping plate is reverted and dished to provide a smoothclamping surface.

EARL B. ALDOUS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,111,739 Davis Sept. 29, 19141,459,892 Hughes June 26, 1923 1,479,282 Burns Jan. 1, 1924 1,797,146Hull Mar. 17, 1931 1,865,740 Bonelli July 5, 1932 1,915,304 Forsyth June27, 1933 2,147,990 Richter Feb. 21, 1939 2,257,913 Maranville Oct. 7,1941 2,317,057 Higby Apr. 20, 194.3

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 155,565 Great Britain Oct. 1, 1920401,632 France Aug. 2, 1909 743,192 France Jan. 6, 1933

